100% Good Vibes, Great Music, and Heartfelt Moments with ONEW in Londonv

Photo: ONEW Official X

Since making his debut as the leader of SHINee 17 years ago, ONEW’s position as an all-rounder has always been known. His warm, distinctive vocals draw listeners into his music, with them transcending genres and styles in, both, the discographies of SHINee and his solo career, whilst his endearingly soft yet strong image captivates audiences who adore his quirks, humour, and humbleness. SHAWOL’s and JJINGGU’s (SHINee and ONEW fans) have always been familiar with ONEW and his character but still, his recent solo tour, ONEW THE LIVE: PERCENT (%), exceeded any and every expectation fans had of him, with ONEW blowing audiences away with his intimate, one man show at London’s Indigo at the O2 on November 11.

ONEW stepped out onto the stage, greeted by an outpour of cheers from the fans in front of him, all eager to see and hear the idol perform a selection of his most-loved songs. A simple staging consisting of nothing but a single mic stand and vibrant hues of blue embracing him, ONEW needed no theatrics as the venue became entranced by his soulful and seductive vocals in the opening song, “PERCENT (%),” followed by a confident and alluring performance of “No Parachute.” With “Yeowoobi,” the venue became imbued with a melancholic tone that was welcomed with open arms and resounding cheers from the crowd whose reaction indicated “Yeowoobi” to be a fan-favorite. The pop-rock sounds of “Far Away” shifted the mood and guided the show towards its first ment, with a more cheerful tone that contrasted the song's lyrics.

ONEW praised the crowd's energy and spoke of his happiness at being reunited with his UK JJINGGU’s and SHAWOL’s, having last performed in the UK more than 10 years ago with SHINee in London. Displaying his charming and humorous personality as he interacted with his fans, the show then became a disco with “Conversation” that saw ONEW continue his fan interactions via his dance movements and face expressions, as well as being one of the many tracks of the night that showcased his versatility by revealing his incredible rap skills. “All Day” continued the sound nostalgia by venturing into a place of Jazz and R&B with its laidback groove, before “MAESTRO” brought back the disco elements from before, with its retropop arrangement that saw ONEW embody swag and a playful nature exhibited through his dance moves.

“I think everyone's feeling the good vibes” ONEW beamed as the show entered its second ment. Here, ONEW continued to display his humour and personality through jokes and questions, including his amusing curiosity at asking: “is the London eye doing well? Is Big Ben doing good?” conjuring a wave of laughter around the room. ONEW then gifted fans with two small acapella snippets of “MAESTRO” and “O (Circle),” with the latter having not been included in the tour’s official setlist, but a fan-favorite track that ONEW couldn’t deprive his JJINGGU’s from hearing.

From here, the show transitioned into a set of emotional ballads, starting with the soothing and gentle tones of “밤과 별의 노래 (Starry Night)” that instilled a touch of magic into the venue. Originally a duet with Lee Jin Ah, ONEW was notably in awe as fans sang along to Jin Ah’s lines, creating a sentimental moment between ONEW and JJINGGU that neither will ever forget. Through an acoustic performance of “Winner,” the show continued to journey down a path of emotion as ONEW effortlessly approached the track with his tremendous vocal power before adopting a softer vocal tone in the meaningful "Epilogue," a song that provided a sense of comfort through his voice.

ONEW spoke of his happiness at performing in front of his fans again, holding back on tears as he expressed his gratitude. Referring to the name of the tour, ONEW THE LIVE: PERCENT (%), ONEW said his happiness had reached a level over 100% and promised to meet his UK JJINGGU's again in the future, before moving away from the somber and emotive tones and into a place of smooth, R&B, groove with "Silky." "Beat Drum" followed, raising the energy, turning the show into a party with ONEW's playful stage presence, suave dance movements, and the song's uplifting, feel-good sounds.

As with any concert, an encore stage is to be expected and while it wasn't time yet, ONEW jokingly told JJINGGU: "if you guys want an encore, let me know," prompting a loud volume of cheers to ripple through the venue, before proceeding into the show's next set.

Showered in an intense red glow, ONEW displayed a sensual side of R&B through "MAD," a song that stood out from the setlist with its seductive lyrics, compelling rap verse, and ONEW's laidback performance style. The addictive "Caffeine" then diverted the mood, introducing a smooth, funk inspired R&B nature, full of groove and sophistication that had everyone dancing along to its beat. The crowd then went wild as ONEW removed his jacket, exposing his arms, ready to perform his most recent title track, "ANIMALS." An upbeat, energetic song from his latest album, the performance opened with an unexpected mellow, soft-rock infused instrumental, with ONEW once again encased in a fiery red glow. Moments later, the red became an ocean of blue with the stage lights alternating between the two colors throughout the performance, with ONEW fully embracing the song's unique and creative charm, before exiting the stage.

The time for an encore stage had now arrived with the crowd doing exactly as ONEW had wished, letting him know their demands for an encore through chants of "one more song," as well as a chanting of his stage name and his birth name (Lee Jinki). Appearing with an outfit change of a grey hoodie and blue jeans (with a British flag found upon its pocket) ONEW served up a comforting slice of "Oreo Cake" before letting loose and expressing more of his fun and playful nature through the exhilarating "Yay." 

Not only talented with incredible vocal pitching but ONEW revealed himself to be an exceptional ball pitcher, throwing signed balls and plush toys to several lucky members of the crowd–some situated in the stalls and others sat higher up in the balcony seats. Having had the opportunity to throw the first pitch at a professional baseball game last year, ONEW's talents in baseball shone during this section, with him combining his passion for sport and music to lovingly shower his fans with thoughtful gifts, and provide an even more unforgettable experience for those lucky enough to have caught one.

Once all the gifts had been thrown, ONEW expressed more heartfelt gratitude of being reunited with JJINGGU's and SHAWOL's in the UK, promising to return to London as soon as he can in the future. "Thank you for loving South Korea. Thank you for loving SHINee. Thank you all for coming tonight, I really appreciate you all," expressed ONEW, leading into the sentimental and bittersweet sounds of "Happy Birthday," concluding the ONEW THE LIVE: PERCENT (%) tour in London. 

Requiring nothing but a mic stand, a chair stool, and vibrant lighting, the ONEW THE LIVE: PERCENT (%) tour in London proved 'less to be more' with each performance allowing ONEW's powerful vocals, endearing stage presence, and his warm and charming personality, to take centre stage, creating an unforgettable and magical night that no JJINGGU or SHAWOL wanted to end. 

Thank you to ONEW, Griffin Entertainment, and Wonderwall for allowing The Kraze to attend the show.